Choices
by hufflepuff-hippie
Summary: written for the jily week prompt "pregnancy/hiding" on tumblr. The Potter couple has a secret and some choices to make. "It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."


**Choices**

**"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."**

Alice and Frank Longbottom hadn't planned for their little bundle of joy to show up in this world. Not while things were so dark and people kept disappearing but the couple was older, more experienced. The Longbottom's were aurors and they had always had enemies lurking in the shadows ready to take them down.

It wasn't the Longbottoms that Albus Dumbledore worried about this late at night. No, it was the Potters he worried about. Albus knew that his warning to the Longbottoms would be taken well but the Potters hadn't even come to inform him of their pregnancy…

The once vivacious couple had grown solemn in the past few months with all the deaths and missions gone wrong. The war was hitting James Potter very hard with the loss of his parents so Lily had taken him away on a holiday where they had been staying with some mates in Wales. They were far away from the political mess that the war was proving to be but Albus still went to visit them and update them on the Order. Albus had expected to find them in the same moods as before they left but the time off had done wonders for the pair.

Lily had been seemingly perfect, rosy cheeks and sparkling eyes. She had been tugging her husband into a playful dance in the kitchen. James was still quieter but it was a strong silence that spoke on how much he'd grown in just a year.

"Come along." Lily Potter had teased James as he groaned and shot his mates a look before giving in to his wife and lifting her up, spinning her in a circle.

They ended up dragging everyone in the house into a quick dance around the kitchen and Albus had not smiled quite as much since that very night. That had been a moment Albus would likely spend years remembering about the couple and how in love they actually were.

The Longbottoms told Albus exactly a week ago that they were expecting a child. Alice had looked excited and Frank was as proud as ever. He asked them about their due date and Alice happily replied it would be in July. _The end of July._

Albus forced himself to break their happiness to tell them about the prophecy. The prophecy that speaks of a child born as the seventh months dies. That child would be the one to bring down Lord Voldemort and if Voldemort ever found out about the prophecy their child might be in danger. Alice had looked tormented, blue eyes wide against her pale face. They'd gone into hiding right away, not wanting to risk anything to happen.

Albus had announced the prophecy at an Order of the Phoenix meeting three nights ago. The Longbottoms were not in attendance since they went right into hiding. Albus had a hunch if Voldemort found out he'd go after the Longbottoms since they were powerful aurors.

He hadn't even noticed that the Potters were back from their holiday early.

They'd shown up to the meeting looking less like the sparkling couple just weeks before. They had stayed in the back corner, wrapped in each other's embrace. Lily's eyes had been red rimmed like she'd been crying. James' jaw had been set and immobile with no real smile towards anyone.

Albus should've known that look he'd given her when he placed a hand on her back to walk out meant so much more than 'I love you'. Albus should have known that James' pat on her stomach though the night hadn't been playful. It had been protective. Albus let his eyes wander down to his desk where the letters sat.

Now, Albus had multiple people watching the Hospital Records at St. Mungo's because of the prophecy. He hadn't been surprised to see the newest reports to come from St Mungo's that Alice Longbottom had been added to the list of witches expected to give birth at the end of July. Below her name however, had been a new name, one that was not expected.

**Lily Potter**

Albus leaned back in his chair as he stared at the piece of paper. The paper explained everything he'd been wondering about the Potters. Their sudden mood swings, staying far away from everyone else at the meeting, Lily's red rimmed green eyes. Lily Potter was pregnant.

Dumbledore checked the letter hundreds of times but Lily's name was right below Alice Longbottom's name. The question was why they didn't tell anyone? Albus noted that the couple was young, inexperienced, and probably hadn't planned this. he also wondered if they were scared now that they'd heard about the prophecy.

The very prophecy that was now split between two unborn children whose parents were a part of Albus' resistance to Lord Voldemort.

Albus had to go talk to the Potter couple about going into hiding. He hoped it would be easy to get ahold of them because he had a feeling as soon as the pair had heard about—

"Professor." her voice was soft. The word professor was left over from her days as his student.

Albus glanced up from his desk to see the young Potter couple arm in arm, standing in his office. They must've apparated into town and walked to the castle in secret. Lily's hand was wrapped tightly in James' and they both stood tall. Gone was the worried couple from three nights before. Albus could tell whatever doubts they'd been having had been replaced. Lily's free hand was placed carelessly on her stomach and her face was shining.

"Lily, James." he adressed them, pushing the paper off his desk and standing up to greet them.

No matter what that paper said, he would wait for the Potters to admit they were pregnant. He could not force them. Lily took a deep breath and struggled to speak. Albus saw James give her hand a little tug.

"I'm pregnant. Due at the end of July." Lily's eyes became watery again and she looked up at her husband for help.

"We don't know what to do." James looked so much older than his real age, lines were appearing on his forehead, "Should we go into hiding like the Longbottom's?"

Lily placed a hand on James' arm and started rubbing it, looking at him like he was her sun and moon. The boy adjusted his lopsided glasses and smiled down at his wife softly, sending her a wink. His tiny wink made a kind smile lift her troubled features.

Albus was relieved they'd come to him. They were standing there in the middle of his office, clutching hands and looking ready to fight the world for their unborn child. Albus felt a tiny sliver of hope rise up in him while he was looking at the Potters.

"I'll set up a house for you both in Godrics Hollow. Somewhere you can raise your family safely."

Albus was lying, but he felt it was a lie that needed to be made for the time being. James Potter was a pureblood and Lily Potter was a muggleborn. Their son would be a halfblood. He was better matched to Voldemort, a half blood himself. If the time ever came to choose, Albus knew which baby would be Voldemort's choice.

* * *

Written because it's jily week on tumblr. Just getting ready for Jily October!

Please leave a nice comment or two.

xxx

Sasha


End file.
